Officials to gather in preparation for 39th Pacific Islands Forum
PRESS STATEMENT 66/08
Friday 18, July 2008
OFFICIALS TO GATHER IN PREPARATION FOR 39TH PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM
Senior officials from the region will convene in Suva, Fiji, next week in preparation for the 39th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Summit to be held in Niue,19th-21st August.
Deliberations from officials will formulate advice to Leaders at their Summit next month.
Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC)
Meeting on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd July at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva is the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC), comprising senior government representatives from 16 Forum Members, as well as observers from Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies and Pacific Territories.
Key issues to be discussed by the Committee include progress to date on implementation of the Forum Leaders' "2007 Vava'u Decisions on the Pacific Plan" and proposed future priorities for the region.
PPAC is responsible for oversight of Pacific Plan implementation, carried out at the regional level by CROP agencies and donors, and at the national level by Forum Member governments.
The Pacific Plan draws attention to four key areas of Economic Growth, Sustainable Development, Good Governance and Security, and was endorsed by Leaders at their 2005 Summit in Papua New Guinea.
Forum Officials Committee (FOC)
Also meeting next week is the Forum Officials Committee (FOC), the governing body of the Forum Secretariat.
The Committee comprises senior officials from Forum Member Countries, as well as the Forum’s associate members and territory observers, and is also attended by other CROP agencies. The Committee will meet at the Forum Secretariat on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th July.
The meeting will focus primarily on political security issues, the new Forum Secretariat Corporate Plan and other strategic issues.
Smaller Island States (SIS) Officials
A meeting of Smaller Island States (SIS) officials will conclude the series of meetings next week on Friday 25th July at the Forum Secretariat.
Smaller Island States include Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu.
Key agenda items will include progress on regional bulk procurement of petroleum and pharmaceuticals, transport (shipping and air services), and renewable energy initiatives, among others.
When the Forum Leaders endorsed the Pacific Plan in 2005 they agreed on the need to advocate the special and peculiar needs of Smaller Island States; provide special assistance for the implementation of the Pacific Plan, and ensure that they derive the fullest possible benefit from the Plan, particularly given their limited capacity and fragile and vulnerable environment.
(Ends)
For more information, please contact:
Edward Vrkic, Forum Secretariat Pacific Plan Executive Officer via email (PPAC-related queries)
Andie Fong-Toy, Forum Secretariat Director Political & Security via email (FOC-related queries)
Atanteora Beiatau, Forum Secretariat SIS Programme Officer via email (SIS-related queries)
Mue Bentley, Forum Secretariat Media Officer (Pacific Plan Office) via email (media queries)
Friday 18, July 2008
OFFICIALS TO GATHER IN PREPARATION FOR 39TH PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM
Senior officials from the region will convene in Suva, Fiji, next week in preparation for the 39th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Summit to be held in Niue,19th-21st August.
Deliberations from officials will formulate advice to Leaders at their Summit next month.
Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC)
Meeting on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd July at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva is the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC), comprising senior government representatives from 16 Forum Members, as well as observers from Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies and Pacific Territories.
Key issues to be discussed by the Committee include progress to date on implementation of the Forum Leaders' "2007 Vava'u Decisions on the Pacific Plan" and proposed future priorities for the region.
PPAC is responsible for oversight of Pacific Plan implementation, carried out at the regional level by CROP agencies and donors, and at the national level by Forum Member governments.
The Pacific Plan draws attention to four key areas of Economic Growth, Sustainable Development, Good Governance and Security, and was endorsed by Leaders at their 2005 Summit in Papua New Guinea.
Forum Officials Committee (FOC)
Also meeting next week is the Forum Officials Committee (FOC), the governing body of the Forum Secretariat.
The Committee comprises senior officials from Forum Member Countries, as well as the Forum’s associate members and territory observers, and is also attended by other CROP agencies. The Committee will meet at the Forum Secretariat on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th July.
The meeting will focus primarily on political security issues, the new Forum Secretariat Corporate Plan and other strategic issues.
Smaller Island States (SIS) Officials
A meeting of Smaller Island States (SIS) officials will conclude the series of meetings next week on Friday 25th July at the Forum Secretariat.
Smaller Island States include Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu.
Key agenda items will include progress on regional bulk procurement of petroleum and pharmaceuticals, transport (shipping and air services), and renewable energy initiatives, among others.
When the Forum Leaders endorsed the Pacific Plan in 2005 they agreed on the need to advocate the special and peculiar needs of Smaller Island States; provide special assistance for the implementation of the Pacific Plan, and ensure that they derive the fullest possible benefit from the Plan, particularly given their limited capacity and fragile and vulnerable environment.
(Ends)
For more information, please contact:
Edward Vrkic, Forum Secretariat Pacific Plan Executive Officer via email (PPAC-related queries)
Andie Fong-Toy, Forum Secretariat Director Political & Security via email (FOC-related queries)
Atanteora Beiatau, Forum Secretariat SIS Programme Officer via email (SIS-related queries)
Mue Bentley, Forum Secretariat Media Officer (Pacific Plan Office) via email (media queries)
